Business Students Place 1st and 2nd in State Governor’s Cup

Siloam Springs, Ark. (April 30, 2009) - The award luncheon for the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup competition was held Tuesday, April 28 in Little Rock. Hundreds of businesspeople watched as the top six teams in the state awaited the final results. As the awards were handed out, John Brown University business teams captured both first and second place for the state of Arkansas. JBU was the only private university to make it to the finals.
The first place finish was awarded to “Creatively Mine” led by December graduates Carine Netto and Emily Hornok, and seniors James Smith and Matt Nye. “Creatively Mine” is a company catering to girls ages two to 12-years-old. These girls along with their parents can design, order and have her personally-designed outfit delivered to her doorstep with the click of the mouse on a user-friendly web site.
The second place finish went to “Progressive Solutions” led by seniors Angela Langer, Kirena Duffel, Clayton Anderson and Drew Cleaver. “Progressive Solutions” developed a plan to produce and market an innovative, space-saving hanger, which was invented by Cleaver in his college dorm. (Cleaver now holds a patent on the product.)
Each team is required to complete a business plan that includes a mission, vision, strategy, marketing, financials and investment opportunities for the first five years of business.
Placing first and second in the state has advanced “Creatively Mine” and “Progressive Solutions” to the Las Vegas tri-state competition in May to compete against the best teams from Oklahoma and Nevada.
“I am so proud of the students from JBU who participated in the Reynolds Governor’s Cup,” said Mandy Moore, business instructor “This competition is a phenomenal opportunity to showcase the talent of the next generation of entrepreneurs. Creatively Mine and Progressive Solutions have heard encouragement, praise, and criticism from me, but to have an external panel of seasoned professionals select their plans as the strongest in the state provides the type of encouragement that every professor wants for their students. I have told both teams that I want to see them take it to market. Yesterday showed them that others believe in their work, in their ideas, and in their capabilities. The Governor’s Cup helps my students recognize that their ideas and their opinions matter.”
Several weeks ago, JBU had four teams named among the top 12 teams in the state competing in the semi-final round. JBU had more teams in the semi-final round than any other college or university in the state. Those teams presented their plans to a panel of judges during the state competition in Little Rock. Out of the four JBU teams, Creatively Mine and Progressive Solutions advanced to the final round representing the top six teams in the state.
More information about the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup competition Business Plan competition is available at http://crc.arcapital.com/governors_award/business_plan_competition/